Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

When almost all the fruit on the tree had been knocked off, and the ground was covered with a layer of spiky fluff balls and scattered chestnuts, she put on gloves and picked them up one by one and put them into her space.

When all the chestnuts were collected, she straightened her almost stiff back and realized with a start that four whole hours had quietly passed.

The light in the forest dimmed at a visible speed. Xu Xiaoyan looked around and decided to camp there.

The area is relatively flat, and more importantly, she can check it again tomorrow morning to see if there are any chestnuts she missed.

So, she quickly found a dry clearing among several chestnut trees, took out the tent and sleeping bag from her storage space again, and skillfully set up her temporary "home".

As night fell completely, she crawled into her sleeping bag and slowly closed her eyes.

Early in the morning, the chirping of birds in the forest woke Xu Xiaoyan from her sleep.

After a night's rest, the fatigue from yesterday had vanished. After a quick check to make sure she hadn't forgotten any chestnuts, she packed everything up and set off.

Perhaps because she had a good night's sleep, she walked very fast and lightly today, crossing two hills in one go.

Sweat dripped down her temples, but she didn't feel particularly tired; instead, she felt a sense of exhilaration.

Just as she was about to head towards the sixth hill along the ridgeline, her peripheral vision was suddenly drawn to a patch of low bushes on the sunny side of the hillside.

Among the lush greenery, many plump, deep purple-black berries are prominently displayed, like polished agate beads, gleaming alluringly in the sunlight.

"It's a mountain hibiscus!"

Xu Xiaoyan's eyes lit up instantly, and she stopped in her tracks involuntarily.

She had bought this wild fruit, scientifically known as Myrtle, at the market before. Because it was a wild fruit, the price was quite high, and she felt a pang of regret when she bought it. She never expected to find it here.

Xu Xiaoyan put down her backpack, took out gloves and a plastic bag from her spatial storage, and quickly walked to the patch of wild rhododendrons.

Upon closer inspection, the fruit is even more delightful, densely covering the branches, with some so ripe that they fall into the palm of one's hand with the slightest touch.

She carefully avoided the small, hard thorns on the branches, gently plucking them off the fruit stems, leaving a faint purplish-red juice on her fingertips from the plump fruit.

I couldn't resist trying one, and the familiar sweet and sour taste exploded in my mouth, instantly awakening my taste buds and dispelling some of the boredom of the journey.

She was immersed in the sense of accomplishment from picking the fruit, her fingers flying across the leaves and branches, stopping after filling a few plastic bags.

I didn't pick them all because I wanted to leave some for the birds and animals in the mountains and forests.

The higher you go, the sparser the trees become, replaced by jagged rocks and low shrubs that stubbornly grow in the crevices of the rocks.

When she finally reached the top of the seventh mountain, panting heavily, she could see the tunnel entrance on the other side.

Looking down from here, the tunnel entrance and the section of asphalt road in front of it are clearly visible.

Near the cave entrance, several blurry, motionless figures lay on the road. They were too far away to be seen clearly, and their condition was unknown.

Xu Xiaoyan's heart sank slightly, but then, with a thought, the children's binoculars appeared in her hand. She raised the binoculars, adjusted the focus, and the distant scene was suddenly brought closer.

It was indeed people, about four or five, lying haphazardly in the middle and along the edge of the road outside the tunnel entrance.

Through the binoculars, the details of their clothing became slightly clearer, but it was still impossible to tell whether there were any obvious wounds or bloodstains on their bodies.

"If there really were that many bats gathered in the tunnel..."

Xu Xiaoyan put down her binoculars, her brows furrowed. "The possibility of being attacked is too high."

She recalled the chilling flapping of wings and shrieks she had heard on the other end.

More importantly, bats are natural hosts for many deadly viruses.

In today's chaotic and medically inadequate environment, the consequences of infection would be unimaginable. Who knows if these people are carrying unknown pathogens transmitted by bats?

This thought instantly dispelled any idea of ​​her going forward to investigate or help; she couldn't take the risk!

After making up her mind, Xu Xiaoyan observed the surrounding environment again, especially the possible line of sight in the area below the mountain.

She decided not to go directly down the mountain back to the main road near the tunnel entrance, as that would be too easy to expose her and would put her too close to the people lying down.

She took a deep breath and chose to continue moving laterally along the ridgeline, parallel to the tunnel entrance, under the cover of trees and rocks.

The plan is to first get away from this obvious danger, travel a sufficient distance, and then find a relatively flat and secluded spot to descend the mountain and return to the relatively easy-to-walk main road.

Xu Xiaoyan walked along the mountain for about half an hour before she had to stop.

Because the mountain range beneath her feet generally runs northwest, while the main road, after a gentle bend, extends northeastward away from the mountain range.

What made her heart sink even more was that, right on the left side of the road, close to the foot of the mountain, another path suddenly appeared.

It was a narrow, potholed dirt road that seemed to be rarely used by vehicles, winding its way into the folds of the mountain.

"Here we go again..." Xu Xiaoyan muttered under her breath, her brows furrowed. Her experience of choosing the shortcut last time still haunted her; time and energy were precious resources.

"I can't make the wrong choice this time," she resolved silently.

She took out the children's binoculars from her spatial storage again and carefully surveyed the path down the mountain.

From her current location, how to safely get down to the highway, and the surrounding conditions of that dirt road.

After confirming that there was no immediate danger, she adjusted the focus of the children's binoculars to the furthest point and extended her line of sight along the main road to the northeast.

When she saw the situation ahead, her breath caught in her throat.

At the far end of the highway, above the horizon, stretched an exceptionally clear, thick, black line!

Because of the distance, it was as thin as a strand of hair, but its pure and abrupt blackness formed a terrifying contrast with the surrounding gray-white sky and yellow-green mountains.

"What is that?"

Xu Xiaoyan was horrified. The length and shape of the valley were so clear even from such a distance... A terrifying word flashed through her mind instantly—earthquake rift valley!

Yes, only a massive crack caused by violent crustal movement could have such a scale and visual impact.

If it truly is a rift valley, its width and depth are beyond imagination; attempting to cross it is simply a pipe dream.

This means that if she continues along this northeast-bound road, she will eventually be blocked by this insurmountable barrier and will have to spend time and effort to find a detour!